In India, to promote athletics, Powell's hosts played the clip featuring that landmark jump twice over. And along with his many fans, Powell quietly watched the clip with the same enthusiasm.

"I never get tired of watching that," confessed Powell, before proceeding to elaborate on that landmark moment.

"The biggest reason why I broke the world record is because I believed I could," he gushed, before negating that he was surprised with his eventual effort considering his compatriot and rival Carl Lewis made the best six-jump series in history ahead of the final.

"No, I wasn't surprised at all," explained Powell, adding, "I went into the final knowing that in order to win the competition, I'd probably have to break the world record."

The American's effort in the Japanese capital on that fateful day in 1991 ensured his compatriot Bob Beamon's longstanding record a jump of 8.90 metres at the Mexico Olympics in 1968 was finally broken.

And now his record has not been broken in 20 years.

Image: Mike Powell stands behind long jump record set by Bob Beamon at the 1968 Mexico Olympics. He broke it by 5 cms 92 inches) in Tokyo in 1991Photographs: Getty Images

'When Bob broke the record, it took years for athletes to even start thinking of breaking it'

In fact, in the last five decades only four athletes have managed to hold the long jump world record.

Asked what is it that makes the long jump record so difficult to break, Powell came up with a pragmatic answer.

"When Bob (Beamon) broke the record, the mark was so high that it took years for athletes to even start thinking about breaking the record," he explained.

"When I look at the athletes now and see what they are doing, I don't see them breaking the record," continued Powell, adding, "I mean they are talented but what they are doing doesn't equal what they should be doing.

"When I was competing, I was learning. I was getting beaten a lot, by Carl (Lewis) and others jumpers. And I was learning a lot from each of those defeats.

"But nowadays they don't have any body to learn from."

Image: Bob Beamon of the USA breaking the Long Jump World Record during the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, Mexico. Beamon long jumped 8.9 m (29 ft 2 1/2 in), winning the gold medal and setting a new world recordPhotographs: Getty Images

'Most athletes use drugs because their coaches tell them to do so'

Before we could end the conversation it was imperative to ask the legend regarding his views on doping, a scourge in world athletics for many years now.

"On most occasions athletes end up using performance enhancing drugs is because their coaches tell them to do so to be able to compete," explained Powell, adding, "As for myself, my coaches told me I didn't need to that.

"I could achieve the results just by working hard." The American then explained the moral aspect.

"It's doping and competing - cheating. And to me that matters," explained Powell.

"When I talk to my daughters I know I did the right thing," he continued, adding, "Now it's like 'your dad was pretty good.' And I am not lying.

"So for me to cheat to win isn't the right thing." The American expressed his satisfaction regarding the steps taken by the governing body to control doping.

"Atheletics is one of the few sports which is willing to burst its stars," said Powell, adding, "So it shows we are taking the matter seriously.

"If an athlete is trying to use some dope these days, then he is taking a big risk. And that shows athletics is at the fore front in taking control in matters of dope."